Watch as the crowd rushes in to balance a failing carnival ride

[jlw]

Originally published at: Watch as the crowd rushes in to balance a failing carnival ride | Boing Boing

…

[knoxblox]

[anothernewbbaccount]

Ok, so someone here knows (and will be along in a moment, I’m sure, to explain) why that big swinging thing could not have been braked earlier, and kept on swinging long after it was clear as day that it needed to stop.

(ETA extra points will be awarded for judicious use of the terms ‘momentum’ and ‘inertia’, probably in association with the word ‘brake’, somehow.)

[simonize]

Those things are designed by qualified engineers, but they are going to end up assembled and operated by stoned 19 year olds with a minimum of training.

[HaroldHill]

[NukeML]

Thanks for the darn caption block that obscured most of what was happening.

[Franko]

right?? i was thinking, “well, wish i could see the actual danger here…”

[GospelX]

I was at this year’s Traverse City Cherry Festival. They made the good decision not to put this ride up again.

[knoxblox]

I mean, if it’s properly maintained and anchored, it can be a fun ride; but it’s hard to tell who’s a good company operator or not.

[GospelX]

After last year they would be much more careful. How many people would want to ride it, though?

[VeronicaConnor]

I’m actually surprised that a few humans’ weight was enough to stabilize it. That’s a big heavy machine. My guess is it wasn’t actually in danger of tipping over, it was just sitting on an unlevel surface and the jacks weren’t adjusted quite right. It was probably fine, it just looks scary. If it was really gonna tip, ten adults wouldn’t be enough to stop it.